Custom Yoke Sweater

Join Amy Detjen from Vogue Knitting and learn dozens of useful knitting tips as you create a custom-fit sweater with stranded colorwork.

This class is perfect for intermediate knitters who are ready to tackle garment knitting and colorwork in the round. Amy explains Elizabeth Zimmermann's "key number" system to adjust fit, and adds techniques made famous at Meg Swansen's Knitting Camp. As you knit the included sweater pattern, you'll learn how to trap stranded colorwork, customize your pattern with easy knitting math, select the right colors and patterns for your yoke, and add details like phony seams and knitted hems. In the process, you'll learn new twists on basic knitting techniques from cast-on to blocking. Amy's irreverent sense of humor makes even the picky parts fun!

The included Sipsey's Folly pullover sweater knitting pattern is sized from women's Small to 4X (bust 37" to 61" or 94 to 155 cm). An alternative Gardener's Folly yoke pattern is also included.

Lesson plan

Lesson 1. Meet Amy Detjen

Meet your instructor, Amy Detjen, and find out more about her, the details of the included sweater pattern, what you're going to learn, and how Craftsy classes work.

16:06

Lesson 2. Before You Cast On

All the things you need to do before you start knitting: measuring your favorite sweater, swatching and customizing.

22:51

Lesson 3. Customizing Your Sweater

Put the "custom" in custom yoke sweaters by applying easy knitting math. You'll learn how to use Elizabeth Zimmermann's key number system to correct the fit.

16:31

Lesson 4. Casting On

You may think you know everything there is to know about the long-tail cast-on, but you don't! Amy shows you all kinds of tips and tricks to cast on neatly and fix mistakes.

18:41

Lesson 5. Knitting the Body

Amy shows you a better way to knit "make one" increases and decreases, place stitches on hold at the underarm, create phony seams and add sneaky short rows.

9:37

Lesson 6. Knitting & Joining Sleeves

Knit a set of sleeves with rolled or hemmed cuffs. Then place stitches on hold, add a phony sleeve seam and join the sleeve to the sweater body.

18:49

Lesson 7. Stranded Knitting

Get your colorwork on. Amy reviews chart reading, then covers how to knit with two colors and two hands, how to trap long floats and a little about yarn dominance.

11:26

Lesson 8. Knitting the Yoke

The yoke combines colorwork and decreases. You'll meet the tiny peerie rows that separate the larger motifs, and play with color as you knit.

16:51

Lesson 9. Knitting Hems

In this lesson, you'll learn how to create one of Amy's favorite sweater features, the knitted and stitched hem.

22:20

Lesson 10. Finishing

The finishing steps: a pretty and simple bind-off with a tapestry needle, closing the underarm seams with kitchener stitch, weaving in the colorwork ends, and wet blocking.

"What a fabulous class this is. My knitting pal and I took it together, both watching long distance and emailing each other during the chapter breaks, talking over the great little tips we'd learned along the way. Don't miss it! Amy is a marvelous, warm, funny and thoroughly enjoyable instructor." - Enquery

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Lesson 1. Meet Amy Detjen

Meet your instructor, Amy Detjen, and find out more about her, the details of the included sweater pattern, what you're going to learn, and how Craftsy classes work.

16:06

Lesson 2. Before You Cast On

All the things you need to do before you start knitting: measuring your favorite sweater, swatching and customizing.

22:51

Lesson 3. Customizing Your Sweater

Put the "custom" in custom yoke sweaters by applying easy knitting math. You'll learn how to use Elizabeth Zimmermann's key number system to correct the fit.

16:31

Lesson 4. Casting On

You may think you know everything there is to know about the long-tail cast-on, but you don't! Amy shows you all kinds of tips and tricks to cast on neatly and fix mistakes.

18:41

Lesson 5. Knitting the Body

Amy shows you a better way to knit "make one" increases and decreases, place stitches on hold at the underarm, create phony seams and add sneaky short rows.

9:37

Lesson 6. Knitting & Joining Sleeves

Knit a set of sleeves with rolled or hemmed cuffs. Then place stitches on hold, add a phony sleeve seam and join the sleeve to the sweater body.

18:49

Lesson 7. Stranded Knitting

Get your colorwork on. Amy reviews chart reading, then covers how to knit with two colors and two hands, how to trap long floats and a little about yarn dominance.

11:26

Lesson 8. Knitting the Yoke

The yoke combines colorwork and decreases. You'll meet the tiny peerie rows that separate the larger motifs, and play with color as you knit.

16:51

Lesson 9. Knitting Hems

In this lesson, you'll learn how to create one of Amy's favorite sweater features, the knitted and stitched hem.

22:20

Lesson 10. Finishing

The finishing steps: a pretty and simple bind-off with a tapestry needle, closing the underarm seams with kitchener stitch, weaving in the colorwork ends, and wet blocking.

The instructor

Amy Detjen, Instructor of Custom Yoke Sweater

Amy was the "List Mom" of the original Knit List for over four years before she started KnitU. She's very proud that she's been Meg Swansen's assistant at her Knitting Camp for 20 years. Teaching knitting and helping people learn about the wide range of knitting possibilities is something Amy is passionate about, and she loves solving those stubborn knitting problems!

Ratings & reviews

Class rating

(26 reviews)

Good Teaching For Two Color Knitting

by Karla55 on February 16, 2015

I love your lesson on two color knitting and trapping! It was very helpful. I appreciate the way you showed alternative methods as well as your own preference. I like the way you have samples ready to keep the lesson moving. This class is full of good teaching from an experienced knitter.

I love your lesson on two color knitting and trapping! It was very helpful. I appreciate the way you showed alternative methods as well as your own preference. I like the way you have samples ready to keep the lesson moving. This class is full of good teaching from an experienced knitter.

Good Teaching For Two Color Knitting

by Karla55 on February 16, 2015

I love your lesson on two color knitting and trapping! It was very helpful. I appreciate the way you showed alternative methods as well as your own preference. I like the way you have samples ready to keep the lesson moving. This class is full of good teaching from an experienced knitter.

I love your lesson on two color knitting and trapping! It was very helpful. I appreciate the way you showed alternative methods as well as your own preference. I like the way you have samples ready to keep the lesson moving. This class is full of good teaching from an experienced knitter.

A Great Class

by ozzywhitedog on February 3, 2015

I enjoyed this class, especially the instructor's funny comments! I made two colorwork sweaters based on the instruction.

I enjoyed this class, especially the instructor's funny comments! I made two colorwork sweaters based on the instruction.

A Great Class

by ozzywhitedog on February 3, 2015

I enjoyed this class, especially the instructor's funny comments! I made two colorwork sweaters based on the instruction.

I enjoyed this class, especially the instructor's funny comments! I made two colorwork sweaters based on the instruction.

All smiles

by Janneke on November 27, 2014

This course is packed with useful practical tips. A treasure for every knitter. Amy is a great teacher. I find myself smiling at her fun and interesting way of presenting and at the many times I catch myself thinking 'of course, so simple, why have I battled with this all these years'.

This course is packed with useful practical tips. A treasure for every knitter. Amy is a great teacher. I find myself smiling at her fun and interesting way of presenting and at the many times I catch myself thinking 'of course, so simple, why have I battled with this all these years'.